


Corus Academy

by LifeOnTheMoon



Category: The Song of the Lioness - Tamora Pierce
Genre: F/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-02
Updated: 2015-09-12
Packaged: 2018-04-18 16:02:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4711991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LifeOnTheMoon/pseuds/LifeOnTheMoon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After his marriage to the beautiful but tiresome Kay, Alanna and Thom's father decides to send them away. But Alanna, knowing her brother as she does is convinced the boarding school her father has in mind for Thom will destroy him. She hatches a plan to save her brother and in doing so thrusts herself into an adventure of a lifetime. (Modern, non magic AU).</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Plan

“I can’t live like this anymore Alan!” 

Alanna’s stepmother’s shrill voice came through the door loud and clear and her brother Thom winced. 

“I think we might’ve pushed her a little too far this time,” he said. 

“Relax,” Alanna said, with far more confidence than she felt. “What’s the worst she can do?” 

“It’s not about what she can do,” her brother said, dragging his hand through his already messy red hair. “It’s about what he can do.” 

“Well he’s already sentenced us to at least another four years with her,” Alanna said. “That’s punishment enough.” 

“Alanna! Thomas!” her father called. 

“Time to face the music,” Thom said with a wry smile. 

The two children walked into their father’s study. Standing behind his desk with her hand on his shoulder was their stepmother Kay. Alanna glared at her. Despite the fact that her hair was coming out of her usually orderly bun and her dress had a huge tear on the side, there was an unmistakable gleam of victory in her crystal blue eyes. 

“Your mother and I,” their father started. 

“Stepmother,” Alanna said, cutting him off. “She’s our stepmother.”

“And thank god for that,” Kay said, flipping her blonde hair away from her face. 

“Well,” Alan Trebond continued, ignoring the interruption. “We have decided that maybe this house has gotten a little small for all of us.” 

“Dad this is the biggest house in town,” Alanna scoffed. “You’d have to build a bigger one if we wanted to move.” 

“I don’t think that’s what Dad means,” Thom said slowly, his violet eyes boring into their father’s face. Alanna suddenly felt a little nervous. 

“What are you saying?” she asked, wishing the hardness in her brother’s eyes would dissipate.

“Dad’s sending us away, aren’t you Dad?” Thom said, the intensity in his eyes trickling over into his words.

“We have decided,” their father said, resolutely avoiding Thom’s gaze. “To send you both to Corus.” 

“To live with Uncle Coram?” Alanna asked. 

“Not exactly,” their father said. “Thom will go to Corus Academy and you will go St. Agatha’s.” 

“Why can’t we both go to St. Agatha’s?” Thom asked. Although his tone was flat Alanna could sense the tension bubbling beneath it. 

“Because it will do you two good to be away from each other,” their father said sternly, finally looking his children in the face. “And you need to learn how to be a man Thom. Corus Academy will be a good teacher. And I’ve already filled out the forms. They’ll go to Corus tomorrow.” He reached inside his desk and pulled out two brown envelopes with the names Alanna Trebond and Thomas Trebond printed on the front. 

“You can’t!” Alanna said, the words bursting from her mouth. “Dad they’re going to kill him.” 

“Nonsense,” her father said, dismissively. “Maybe they’ll wean him away from his… ah…odd proclivities.” 

“Yes because sending me to a school with only boys is going to make me un-gay isn’t it Dad,” Thom said, his face suddenly pinched. 

“Your father only wants what’s best for you,” Kay said, her tone utterly and disgustingly triumphant. 

“Well I suppose even four years in hell is nothing compared to four years with you,” Thom said smoothly. 

Kay’s perfectly smooth skin wrinkled as she began to form a retort. 

“Oh save it you heinous cliché,” Alanna said rudely. “Are we all done here Dad?” 

He just grunted. 

“You’re always welcome to come home for the holidays,” Kay said, her tone sickly sweet. 

“We’d rather stab our eyes out with forks,” Alanna said, slamming the door behind her. 

“They are going to kill me aren’t they?” Thom said.

They were both sprawled out on Alanna’s bed. The fake stars that Alanna had pasted on her ceiling when she was seven winked at them. 

“You never know,” Alanna said comfortingly. “Maybe you’ll make friends.” 

“Yes because there’s nothing that a bunch of testosterone filled adolescent males like more than a weedy homosexual,” Thom said bitterly.

“Maybe it’s changed since Dad’s time,” Alanna said. “He’s ancient anyway. Maybe it’s a progressive haven now.” 

“Places like Corus Academy don’t change,” Thom sighed. “They pride themselves on their complete lack of adaptability.” 

“Well how do you think I’m going to do at St. Agatha’s?” Alanna asked. “I’m not exactly the sharpest tool in the shed I am? Their average SAT score is 2370. Not their highest. Their average.” 

“Are you seriously complaining about having to study a little?” Thom asked incredulously. “Al they’re going to murder me. And the teachers will probably watch and laugh.” 

“We were born in the wrong bodies,” Alanna said. “Can you imagine how much easier life would be if I had to go to Corus Academy and learn how to ride a horse and fence and do all that crap.”

“And I would go to St. Agatha’s and actually learn something useful,” Thom said wistfully.

Suddenly Alanna sat up straight. 

“I’ve just thought of something brilliant,” she said excitedly. 

Thom groaned. “Al one of your hare-brained schemes is the reason we’re in this position. Please don’t.” 

“I’ll go to Corus Academy as you and you go to St. Agatha’s as me,” she said. “It’s perfect. We’re basically identical and it’s not like anyone knows us there anyway right? So we can just switch places.” 

“Al we might look alike,” Thom said. “But we still look like a boy and a girl.” 

“Come on,” Alanna urged. “I’ll strap my boobs down and-“ 

“I’ll strap my Adams apple down?” Thom asked dryly. 

Alannah looked at him thoughtfully. “You’re right,” she said. “Even though, lets face it, I’m definitely more built than you, you still look like a boy.” 

“And you still look like a girl,” Thom said. “Even if you are more “built” than me.” he made air quotes around the word built. 

Alanna ignored him and pulled him up off the bed and dragged him in front of her large mirror. 

“I could totally be you,” she said, as they studied themselves. 

The twins were an unusual looking pair. They both had a striking combination of red hair and violet eyes, however Alanna was undoubtedly the more athletic looking of the two with broad powerful shoulders she had inherited from her father, while Thom was slim with an ethereal air that was entirely absent from his earthier sister. 

“You do look more like a guy than I do,” Thom said thoughtfully, earning himself an elbow in his ribs from his sister. 

“What?” he said. “You’re the one who thinks it’s a good idea to switch genders.” 

“Hmm,” Alanna looked at her brother thoughtfully. 

“What?” he asked warily. 

“Well technically only one of us needs to switch genders,” she said. “St. Agatha’s is a co-ed school.” 

“Yes but they’re expecting a girl aren’t they?” Thom said. “It’ll throw them a bit when I turn up.” 

“What if they’re expecting a boy?” Alanna asked. “I mean we can print out an application form, fill it out and replace the one that Dad’s going to send.” 

“And school reports?” Thom asked. “Dad’s going to be a little surprised when two reports for Thom appear on his desk and none appear for Alanna, isn’t he?” 

“We’ll get them to send the reports to Uncle Coram,” Alanna said. 

“So we’re bringing other people on board this little deception are we?” Thom groaned. 

“Uncle Coram won’t mind,” Alanna said brushing his concerns aside. “You know he thinks Dad’s full of crap. I’m sure he’ll be fine with this.” 

“You have a lot of faith in Uncle Coram,” Thom muttered. 

“I’ll handle him,” Alanna said confidently. “So are we going to do this?” 

“Why can’t we both just go to St. Agatha’s?” Thom asked feebly, almost in a last ditch attempt to escape from the web of intrigue his sister was spinning.

Alanna sighed. “For someone so smart you can be pretty dumb sometimes,” she said. “Dad’s going to send the fees to two separate institutions isn’t he? One of us has to go to Corus Academy.”  
“You’re doing this for me aren’t you,” Thom said, his normally steady voice breaking a little. “You’re a good little sister Al.” 

“Excuse me,” she said mock affronted. “I’m three minutes younger than you. And I’m definitely bigger than you.” 

“You’re an idiot,” Thom said with a laugh, giving her a hug. 

“So much love,” Alanna said, secretly quite gratified. 

“So what’s our plan of action?” Thom asked. 

“You fill out the St. Agatha’s application form and forge Dad’s signature,” Alanna said. “I’ll create a distraction so you can switch the fake form for mine.”

“You make perpetrating fraud sound remarkably simple,” her twin said an amused smile on his face. 

“It’s because it is that simple,” Alanna said. 

“What are you going to do after high school?” Thom asked. “You can’t do anything with a diploma that has my name on it can you? How are you going to go to college?” 

“I’ll figure it out,” Alanna said, waving away his doubts. Just print the thing out. I’m going to cause a distraction.”

“I need time,” Thom said, in panic. “You can’t do it now.” 

“Don’t worry,” his sister said. “It’s going to be a delayed distraction. I’ll give you half an hour.” 

Her brother just shook his head. Sometimes he wasn’t quite sure how the two of them could be related let alone twins. 

As he pulled up the forms for St. Agatha he was suddenly struck by the thought that having two Thomas Trebond’s running around Corus might be cause for some questions. Making a split second decision he decided to pull up the Corus Academy forms up as well. He reasoned he would just tell Alanna about this after everything was done. Thom quickly filled out the forms, finding it surprisingly easy. He then printed them out and carefully signed his father’s name on the bottom. He looked at the clock and grinned. He still had two minutes to spare. He looked over them feeling an odd sense of relief. While he knew he was potentially ruining his sister’s life, his happiness at not having to go anywhere near Corus Academy far outweighed any guilt he felt. Thom was (and this was something he was entirely aware of) a rather selfish boy. He supposed he had inherited in from him father. It was comforting to think that, Thom thought dreamily.  
Then like clockwork, at exactly 8:20 p.m. there was a loud screech. 

“ALAN!” His stepmother’s shrill voice permeated the house. 

Thom recognizing this was his cue grabbed the two forms and made his way to his father’s study. He waited till he saw the burly form of his father exiting before he snuck in, being careful to touch as little as possible. He pulled his father’s desk draw open and extricated the forms. He could hear vague snippets of the lecture his father was giving Alanna and grinned at her blithe tone.  
“Just thought Kay might like a going away present,” Alanna said, sounding entirely unapologetic. 

“Well it’s definitely your goodbye,” Kay’s voice rang out spitefully.

“Yes thank god,” Alanna said deadpan. 

Thom made the switch hastily and left. There was no turning back now. It was all up to Alanna.


	2. Convincing Coram

“Is this a chest binder?” Thom asked, picking up a black vest-like garment from the pile on Alanna’s bed. 

“Yep,” she said, as she threw clothes into her suitcase. 

“You could make slightly better style choices,” Thom said, peering over her shoulder. “Why is everything you own black?”

“Because I like black,” Alanna snapped. “Shut up Thom.” 

“I know this is hard for you,” Thom said, traces of guilt in his tone. “I’m sorry.” 

Alanna just shrugged. “It’s fine,” she said. “I’ll be fine.” 

“I know,” Thom said, but he didn’t sound very convinced. “Haven’t you left this a little late? We leave tomorrow.” 

“Have I ever been prompt with anything?” Alanna asked, with a laugh. 

“Well that’s going to change,” Thom said, rifling through the Corus Academy prospectus. “You have to be up by five every morning. Apparently the day starts with an invigorating run.” 

Alanna groaned. “The things I do for you,’ she said, with a shake of her head. 

“You’re doing this for yourself a little too aren’t you?” Thom said. “ You know you’re going to have way more fun fencing and horse riding and running every morning.”

“I am,” Alanna admitted, with a small smile. She couldn’t help it. Even though she knew she was potentially throwing away her whole future she was still quite excited. 

The next day the twins said terse goodbyes to their father and got onto the train heading to Corus. 

“We aren’t coming back here for a while are we?” Alanna said, looking out of the window as her town became smaller and smaller. 

“No thank god,” Thom said, his head already full of visions of St. Agatha’s. 

“Yeah,” Alanna agreed, a little listlessly. “Thank god.” 

“So Uncle Coram’s coming to pick us up at the station right?” Thom said. “And then we’re going to go to our respective schools on Monday.” 

“Yes,” Alanna said, with a firm nod. 

“So that gives you two days to convince our conservative, elderly uncle that cross-dressing is a good idea,” Thom said. 

“He isn’t conservative,” Alanna replied, stung. 

“He hates me,” Thom said. “He was probably the one who suggested this to Dad in the first place. Y’know…make a man out of me.” 

Uncle Coram adored Corus Academy. He had gone there as a child along with the twins’ father. Once he had finished his army service he decided to go back and provide his services. Having always been a good horseman he was put in charge of the stables and spent his days with his horses, occasionally helping the fencing master. Despite sharing his brother’s burly physique Coram was light on his feet and a skilful fencer. 

“You know that isn’t true,” Alanna said, quickly coming to the defence of her favourite relative. “Firstly if he had suggested anything to Dad, you know our beloved father would’ve done exactly the opposite. And secondly, he doesn’t hate you because you’re gay. He hates you because you’re pretentious and condescending and kind of a dick.” 

“Touché,” Thom said. “But that still doesn’t mean he’ll be as okay with perpetrating a fraud as you are.” 

“Can you stop saying that?” Alanna asked. “Perpetrating a fraud. It’s not like I’m robbing a bank or anything. Nothing I’m doing is hurting anyone else.” 

Thom just shook his head. “Well good luck,” he said. “You’re going to need it.” 

Alanna just glared at him, well aware she was going to need a great deal of luck over the next four years. For all her confidence in her abilities to convince her grizzled uncle that they should switch places there was still traces of doubt that haunted her. Uncle Coram was an honourable man, and even though he had very little time and patience for their father she knew he didn’t like lying. But then again Alanna had always been his favourite. For all their dislike of each other Alan Trebond knew what family meant and he would dutifully send his children to Coram every summer. Both Thom and Coram weren’t particularly enamoured by each other. Coram was unable to understand why a boy would prefer to stay inside and read rather than throw a ball or climb a tree and Thom disliked Coram’s brusque and business-like manner. They treaded around each other warily and had polite but awkward conversations. On the other hand Coram was absolutely devoted to Alanna. He taught her how to climb a tree, how to ride a horse. He even taught her how to drive his broken down old truck, which, as she was thirteen years old, he should not have been doing. 

It was dusk by the time they got to Corus. Alanna and Thom pulled their suitcases off the train. 

“Alanna! Thom!” a gruff voice called. 

“Uncle Coram!” Alanna said, dropping her suitcase to hug the grizzled old man. 

“Hi Uncle Coram,” Thom said awkwardly. 

“Hello Thom,” Uncle Coram said, patting his shoulder. “Looking forward to Corus Academy?” 

Thom shot a pointed glance at Alanna. 

“How’s Chubby doing?” Alanna said, quickly changing the subject. 

“Getting old,” Coram grunted. 

They piled into Coram’s broken down old truck and he drove them to his house, which was on the outskirts of the Corus Academy grounds. Coram helped the children take their bags up to their respective rooms and went down the stairs to start making dinner. Alanna, deciding that it would be better if she had this conversation with their uncle alone, told Thom to stay in his room while she went to help with dinner.

“Dad sent this for you,” Alanna said, holding a bottle of her father’s finest brandy. She had pilfered it from his collection just before they left “He wanted to thank you for helping us out.” 

Their uncle took the bottle. “Never knew Alan to be so generous,” he said. “Must be feeling guilty about sending you two away.” 

“Dad never feels guilty about anything,” Alanna said, steel in her voice. “If he had an ounce of anything resembling feelings he wouldn’t send Thom to Corus Academy.” 

“Now lass,” Coram said mildly. “The place might do your brother some good. It made me the man I am today.” 

“It’ll kill him and you know it,” Alanna said bluntly. “That’s why Thom isn’t going.” 

Coram let out a chuckle. “A bit late for that isn’t it?” he asked. 

“Thom isn’t going,” Alanna said firmly. “I am.” 

At that statement Coram let out a loud throaty laugh. “You’re crazy,” he said, giving her a knock on her shoulder.

“Maybe,” Alanna said, going to the cupboard and pulling out two glasses. “But I’m going to Corus Academy. And Thom’s going to St. Agatha’s.”

She poured out two glasses of brandy, putting only a sip in one glass and being much liberal in the other. 

“But you’re a girl,” Coram said, as she handed him the second glass. 

“I look far more masculine than Thom does,” she said. “And you know I’ll be better at all of this. Thom can barely ride a horse. He just clings on and hopes it won’t throw him. He can’t run without getting winded, he has zero hand-eye coordination-“ 

“Not every boy at Corus is a sportsman,” Coram said, taking a deep swig from his drink. 

“Thom can’t throw a punch,” Alanna said frankly. “He can’t defend himself. And you know they’ll find out about him. He’s never been able to hide who he is.” 

“Being gay isn’t who he is,” Coram said, his brow wrinkling. “It’s a part of who he is but-“

“And they’ll kill him for it,” Alanna said. “You know these boys. They’re teenagers. They’re cruel.”

“So what are you going to do?” Coram asked. “Dress up as a boy and pretend to be him? While he wears skirts and goes to St. Agatha’s?” 

“I am going to dress as a boy,” Alanna said. “But I’m going to pretend to be Alan Trebond Jr. The younger son of Alan Trebond Sr. Thom’s going to go to St. Agatha’s as himself. We’ve sorted out the forms and the report cards are going to come to you, not Dad.” 

“Madness,” Coram said, shaking his head. “Pure madness.” 

“It’s done already,” Alanna said. “All you have to do is say you’ll help us.”

“Your father will have my head,” Coram muttered. 

“Come on Uncle Coram,” Alanna said cajolingly. “You know I’ll do far better at Corus Academy than Thom ever would. He’d never be able to keep up. And for that matter I’d crash and burn at St. Agatha’s. It makes much more sense for at least one of us to do well.” 

Coram looked at her, a hint of pity in his eyes. He drank whatever was left in his glass and set it down on the table. Alanna quickly refilled it. 

“You’re throwing away your whole life on this lie,” Coram said gently. “You don’t want to be a boy forever.” 

“I’ll cross that hurdle when I get to it,” Alanna said resolutely. “Say you’ll help us please.”

He took a sip of brandy and sighed. “I can’t do that Alanna,” he said. “It’s just not right.”

“It’s the only right thing to do,” Alanna cried. “If you don’t help us we’ll disappear. That’s the only other option.”

“Now don’t going being dramatic,” he cautioned. “I told your father not to send you to St. Agatha’s. He thinks he’s going to make a scholar out of you. You know he never enjoyed Corus Academy. Always wrapped up in his books.” 

“He’s just sending Thom there because he thinks it’ll beat the gay out of him,” Alanna said bitterly. “I told you we have no choice.” 

“Maybe you don’t,” Coram said with a sigh. “Fine I’ll help you and your brother. But you have to be careful Alanna.” 

Alanna threw herself and her uncle, hugging him tight. “Thank you thank you thank you,” she said. “You won’t regret this, I promise.” 

“I already do,” Coram muttered. “So I take it I’m to call you Alan now?”


End file.
